Posted:14th Jan 2010Have all your gear ready and laid out once you get to your "spin zone" and have a safety with you who knows how to use everything. Also make sure the conditions are good and the ground you're spinning on is safe as well (even land, no bumps or debris, not slippery, open space, etc).

Other than that, just be dressed appropriately for spinning and be comfortable with your poi. Making sure they are properly fueled and blotted/squeezed/spun out enough is important too. Be ready to expect the jet engine noise poi make and wait for the flame to encompass the wick before you actually start spinning. Take it slow, get a feel for it, and stay in your comfort zone. Last but not least, know how to put them out with the help of your spotter and a damp towel.

I recommend lighting with a candle if it is cold where you are too BTW.My first spin was a few weeks ago so here is my advice to pass on.

Most of it is getting out there and actually doing it, so be safe and well prepared then go get to spinning

~Rock on!~

"As the pattern gets more intricate and subtle, being swept along is no longer enough"-Waking Life

Posted:11th Apr 2010Start with cathedral heads. They produce a decent flame with decent burn time thats not too big or long to handle but just right. Have a spotter. Wear cotton, denim, or leather. Have all your safety bases covered. WATCH THE VIDEO malcolm sends with the poi. Its corny but it has TONS of info make sure you blot too! Also, read up on ur fuel to make sure u have the right kind. Also dont get carried away with safety to the point ur unsafe. Like the kid who wore wet clothes under dry clothes, caught himself on fire then steamed himself like a lobster

Your first time spinning with fire is something you'll remember forever. I remember mine. Hands shaking so bad I could barely light them. They finally got lit and all my fear went away. Then it was on. I started with a buzzsaw to my spotter's (which was my mother) horror! Hahahaha!! Its magickal so HAVE FUN!!!!!!

Posted:11th Apr 2010I have mine on video. Mine was such a memorable moment and I had a couple badass moments where I just looked amazing. Like my whirling, then I got dizzy and the amazingness fell apart and turned silly. m My first buzzsaw was near the end. the entire time I was worrying the heck out about getting hit. My second burn I learned that getting hit does no harm and was like "Hey! nothing happened!" and I proceeded to whack myself a few times with lit fire poi in my amusement

Posted:11th Apr 2010I *MAY* be both purchasing and using a set of fire poi for the first time tomorrow night! I almost feel I should be able to transition through my repertoire of moves better before I do but I think I'd do alright.

Posted:12th Apr 2010It's ok, your first time spinning fire isn't about putting on a show or anything Because it's nt gonne be glorious, well it probably will be for you Have fun and don't kill yourself

Posted:13th Apr 2010Yeah, dont screw around with White Gas, its great! But add some kero to it or else there will be a WHOOSH and no more eyebrows..... Or face . My first burn was actually a performance. Well kind of, I had my first burn then did my performance. I guess it was my second burn but there were like 2 hours in between

Posted:13th Apr 2010The only thing I would really reccomend white gas for is putting about 1/5 white gas to 4/5 kerosene when it's cold to get it to light. Or if you need a quick light fro a performance. Or actually if you're inside and can't have any smoke for a performance, but that's not going to be for a long time if you even ever get into that.

Posted:13th Apr 2010I was with a bunch of spinners last night and couldn't stand the stank of the kero (the smoke was no bother), white gas sounds as if it's not worth the risk, and lamp oil is stupid expensive (I can get 4x the amount of white gas for the same price).

I could probably get used to the smell of kero... Is there a fuel redily available that is cheaper than lamp oil, cleaner than kero, and safer than white gas? If not I'll just go with kero until I can afford to buy lamp oil.

Getting my cathedral head poi next Monday so I've got a week to figure that all out.

Posted:13th Apr 2010You can get lamp oil (ultra-pure and a decent amount too) for around $6 for a half gallon (which would last a really long time and is safe to store indoors), you just have to shop around hardware stores and online hardware overstock outlets as well.

I'm switching because K-1 is not good for apartment living or asthma, plus it burns at a lower temperature with a more stable flame and high flash point (in theory that should be much safer for summer conditions). Make sure the lamp oil is ultra-pure to minimize residue and have the lowest emissions.

Just a little suggestion from one beginning fire spinner (I only have a few burns under my belt) to another.

~Rock on!~

"As the pattern gets more intricate and subtle, being swept along is no longer enough"-Waking Life

Posted:13th Apr 2010Haven't checked any hardware stores yet, though ghetto-mart (K-mart) sells 1L bottles of Coleman ultra-pure lamp oil for nearly $10 (a gallon of white gas is just over $10), that's the only place around here I've seen either fuel.

Posted:14th Apr 2010Well, I've actually, pretty quickly gotten to love the smell of kerosene. It makes me think of fun Maybe it'll do the same for you. I'd say go a while with K-1 and see if the smell still bothers you, if it soes, you should probably switch to something. About white gas. I've had experience, if it get on you (my face) it stays on fire and is very very hot I don't want you or anyone else to experience such a horror. There has never been anything as scary in my life as the moment that I saw fire out of the bottom corner of my eye and I am so lucky the fuel in my mouth didn't light and I didn't breathe in lit fuel as I would probably be dead.

Posted:14th Apr 2010Yeah, I've gotten over it really fast as well. It doesn't bother me, the first time I burnt was interesting, using double staffs and being surrounded by kero fumes was.... Not very nice, but heck, I love the smell now.

Posted:14th Apr 2010Wow really? My german exchange student that introduced me to this stuff said he went an entire year with his parents not knowing about any of it And he showed them some pictures and they thought it was cool. But I guess they don't like hom doing it, probably mainly the fire breathing, can't say I blame them. He even uses charcoal lighter fluid. If I ever breathe fire again at least I know kerosene/lamp oil wont light on my skin.

Posted:14th Apr 2010There was a bloke on youtube doing firebreathing with what he said was ultrafine cornstarch: I didn't follow it up, but if it works it'd probably be a fair bit safer than any of the petrochemical liquids...